fig3: (a) Western blot showed the caspase-3 expression of the four groups. FAS-knockout mice had comparable baseline caspase-3 levels with wild type control mice. Treating FAS-knockout mice with isoflurane did not increase caspase-3 levels (n = 5). Wild isoflurane mice showed the highest expression of caspase-3. (b) Quantification of the western blot for caspase-3 levels showed that isoflurane anesthesia caused an increase in caspase-3 level in hippocampus of wild mice compared with FAS-knockout mice plus oxygen group (∗P = 0.023). FAS knockout reduced the level of caspase-3 caused by isoflurane (#P = 0.017). At last, there was an interaction between FAS knockout and isoflurane anesthesia in that FAS knockout mitigated the isoflurane-induced increase in caspase-3 levels in the hippocampus of neonatal mice (&P = 0.011). No differences in caspase-3 expression were found among wild type control mice, FAS-knockout control mice, and FAS-knockout isoflurane mice. (c) FASL-knockout mice had comparable baseline caspase-3 levels with wild type control mice. Treating FASL-knockout mice with isoflurane did not increase caspase-3 levels (n = 5). Wild isoflurane mice showed the highest expression of caspase-3. (d) Quantification of the western blot for caspase-3 levels showed that isoflurane anesthesia caused an increase in caspase-3 level in hippocampus of wild mice compared with FASL-knockout mice plus oxygen group (∗P = 0.02). FASL knockout reduced the level of caspase-3 caused by isoflurane (#P = 0.03). At last, there was an interaction between FASL knockout and isoflurane anesthesia in that FASL knockout mitigated the isoflurane-induced increase in caspase-3 levels in the hippocampus of neonatal mice (&&P = 0.001). No differences in caspase-3 expression were found among wild type control mice, FASL-knockout control mice, and FASL-knockout isoflurane mice. Error bars represent the standard deviation (SD) of four independent experiments; P < 0.05.

Mentions:
The homozygous FAS- and FASL-knockout mice (B6.MRL-Faslpr and B6Smn.C3-Faslgld, resp.) are mice that have a nonfunctional mutation in the FAS gene and FASL gene, respectively [18, 19]. The expression levels of caspase-3 protein in the hippocampus of FAS-knockout mice treated with pure oxygen or isoflurane were both comparable to wild type control mice. However, the expression of caspase-3 in wild type mice treated with isoflurane was clearly increased compared with FAS-knockout mice treated with pure oxygen or isoflurane, P < 0.05. The result of two-way ANOVA suggested that loss of FAS attenuates the increase of caspase-3 induced by isoflurane (Figures 3(a) and 3(b)).

fig3: (a) Western blot showed the caspase-3 expression of the four groups. FAS-knockout mice had comparable baseline caspase-3 levels with wild type control mice. Treating FAS-knockout mice with isoflurane did not increase caspase-3 levels (n = 5). Wild isoflurane mice showed the highest expression of caspase-3. (b) Quantification of the western blot for caspase-3 levels showed that isoflurane anesthesia caused an increase in caspase-3 level in hippocampus of wild mice compared with FAS-knockout mice plus oxygen group (∗P = 0.023). FAS knockout reduced the level of caspase-3 caused by isoflurane (#P = 0.017). At last, there was an interaction between FAS knockout and isoflurane anesthesia in that FAS knockout mitigated the isoflurane-induced increase in caspase-3 levels in the hippocampus of neonatal mice (&P = 0.011). No differences in caspase-3 expression were found among wild type control mice, FAS-knockout control mice, and FAS-knockout isoflurane mice. (c) FASL-knockout mice had comparable baseline caspase-3 levels with wild type control mice. Treating FASL-knockout mice with isoflurane did not increase caspase-3 levels (n = 5). Wild isoflurane mice showed the highest expression of caspase-3. (d) Quantification of the western blot for caspase-3 levels showed that isoflurane anesthesia caused an increase in caspase-3 level in hippocampus of wild mice compared with FASL-knockout mice plus oxygen group (∗P = 0.02). FASL knockout reduced the level of caspase-3 caused by isoflurane (#P = 0.03). At last, there was an interaction between FASL knockout and isoflurane anesthesia in that FASL knockout mitigated the isoflurane-induced increase in caspase-3 levels in the hippocampus of neonatal mice (&&P = 0.001). No differences in caspase-3 expression were found among wild type control mice, FASL-knockout control mice, and FASL-knockout isoflurane mice. Error bars represent the standard deviation (SD) of four independent experiments; P < 0.05.

Mentions:
The homozygous FAS- and FASL-knockout mice (B6.MRL-Faslpr and B6Smn.C3-Faslgld, resp.) are mice that have a nonfunctional mutation in the FAS gene and FASL gene, respectively [18, 19]. The expression levels of caspase-3 protein in the hippocampus of FAS-knockout mice treated with pure oxygen or isoflurane were both comparable to wild type control mice. However, the expression of caspase-3 in wild type mice treated with isoflurane was clearly increased compared with FAS-knockout mice treated with pure oxygen or isoflurane, P < 0.05. The result of two-way ANOVA suggested that loss of FAS attenuates the increase of caspase-3 induced by isoflurane (Figures 3(a) and 3(b)).